Surah 101 · Meccan · 11 Verses
القارعة
SURAH AL-QARI'AH
The Calamity
Surah Al-Qari'ah describes the striking calamity through people scattered like moths and mountains becoming like carded wool. The decisive image is the weighing of deeds: a heavy balance leads to a pleasing life, while a light balance leads to the abyss. The chapter leaves the reality of that fire with a stark warning. More about this surah
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
The Striking Calamity -
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مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
What is the Striking Calamity?
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وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?
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يَوْمَ يَكُونُ ٱلنَّاسُ كَٱلْفَرَاشِ ٱلْمَبْثُوثِ
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فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ
Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],
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فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍۢ رَّاضِيَةٍۢ
He will be in a pleasant life.
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وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ
But as for one whose scales are light,
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وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا هِيَهْ
And what can make you know what that is?
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نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌۢ
It is a Fire, intensely hot.
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About This Surah
The repeated name of the striking calamity and the question “what can make you know?” establish an event beyond ordinary experience. People become like scattered moths and mountains like fluffed wool; familiar solidity no longer offers security.
The focus then narrows to scales. Those whose balances are heavy enter a pleasing life, while those whose balances are light face an abyss described as intensely hot fire.
The surah does not provide a human formula for assigning final weights to named persons. Across the Quran, intention, repentance, justice and mercy matter, and the final judgment belongs to God.
Its compact structure moves from cosmic shock to moral measurement. The appropriate response is attention to the weight of conduct, not sensational illustration or date speculation.
The chapter can be reread in two movements: begin with “The striking calamity and disrupted creation,” then observe how the argument reaches “Heavy and light balances.” Use 101:10–11 to test the relationship between “Final judgment overturns ordinary security” and “Deeds possess moral weight.” Reading in sequence protects the text from proof-texting, keeps warning and hope in proportion, and makes clear which conclusions arise directly from the cited verses and which would need additional evidence.
Core Themes
- Final judgment overturns ordinary security
- Deeds possess moral weight
- Worldly prominence does not determine the scale
- Final assignment belongs to God
Structure
Verses 1-5: the striking calamity and disrupted creation — 1-5
Verses 1-5 focus on the striking calamity and disrupted creation.
Verses 6-11: heavy and light balances — 6-11
Verses 6-11 focus on heavy and light balances.
Key Passages
People and mountains transformed — 1-5
Verses 1-5 address people and mountains transformed.
The two balances — 6-9
Verses 6-9 address the two balances.
The abyss — 10-11
Verses 10-11 address the abyss.
Interpretation Limits
- Do not assign final salvation or punishment to named people.
- Do not calculate a date from the imagery.
- Do not expand the fire description beyond the text.